Tongue-support



No'. 6|3,7a7. l Patented Nov. s, |898.

.1. wEETER.

(Application med mr. 14, 189s.)

(Nq Model.)

Wihgzsses eier?- 11)@@91013 TN: mams Perini co., PHoT9- L|Tno., wAsHmcTom n, c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JERRY WEETER, OF CALLENSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

TONGUE-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent N0. 613,787, dated November 8, 1898.

Application filed March 14:, 1898i Serial No. 673,807. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JERRY WEETEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Callensburg, in the county of Clarion and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Tongue-Support, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in tongue-supports. Y

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of ton gue-supports and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient device adapted to be readily applied to the running-gear of a vehicle and capable of supporting a tongue normally in a horizontal position to relieve the necks of the animals of the strain of the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tongue support adapted to hold a tongue in an elevated position when a vehicle is in a stable, so that there will be no liability of a horse striking against it.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatically-operating device adapted to lock a tongue in an elevated position as soon as it is raised.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tongue-support constructed in accordance with this invention and shown applied to a tongue, the latter being in a horizontal position. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same, the tongue being elevated.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in both igures of the drawings.

1 designates a rod located beneath the inner or rear portion'of a tongue 2 and mounted on a bracket 3, designed to be secured to the center of the front axle or to anyA other suitable'portion of the running-gear. The bracket is provided at its bottom with an L-shaped arm or ilange 4, 'which extends upward in advance of the body portion of the bracket and is provided with a perforation receiving the rear end of the rod l. The rear end ofthe rod 1, which is slightly reduced, is 'secured in the opening of the bracket by a key 5, lo-

cated beneath the vertical portion of the arm or flange and housed within the bracket. The opening is sufficiently larger than the rear end ofthe rod to permit the latter to have a limited swing, for a purpose hereinafter described.

The rod'l carries a spring 6, disposed on its front portion and interposed between a nut 7 and an arm 8 of a link 9, which is hinged to the tongue by a clip 10 or any other suitable means. The link 9, which is substantially L-shaped, is located beneath the tongue and is provided at the rear end of its longer arm with an eye 11, receiving the clevis 10, whereby a hinge-joint is formed. The short arm 8 of the link depends from the front end thereof and is provided with a perforation to receive the rod 1, being interposed between the front end of a coiled spring 6 and a front nut l2.

The front portion 18 of the rod ,is threaded for the adjustment of the front nut 12, and the rear portion 14 of the rod is threaded and receives the rear nut 7. The spring normally supports the tongue in a substantially horizontal position, which may be readily changed by adjusting the front nut, and the tension of the spring is readily regulated by the rear nut.

The tongue, when raised to the position illustrated in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings, is supported by an automaticallyoperating catch l5, consisting of a leg or prop hinged at its upper end to the lower face of the' tongue and arranged at an acute angle to the rear portion of the same. The lower end of the leg or prop is provided with a recess 16, adapted to engage the'angle of the link, and the hinge-joint of the latter and the play of the rod permit the tongue to be swung upward, as shown in Fig. 2. The leg or prop may be hinged in any suitable manner; but, as shown in the accompanying drawings, its upper end is provided with perforations into which are linked staples 17, forming eyes and embedded in the tongue.

The invention has the following advantages: The tongue-support, which is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, is adapted to be readily applied to any ordinary running-gear, and it is capable of holding a tongue normally in a horizontal IOO position to relieve the necks of animals of strain. The tongue-support permits a tongue to be swung upward out of the way, and the catch operates automaticallyT to lock the tongue in an elevated position when the same is raised. The nut at the front end of the rod enables the normal position of the tongue to be readily adjusted, and the rear nut varies the tension of the spring.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacriticing any of the advantages of this invention.

What I claim is- 1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a running-gear, of a horizontal rod mounted on the running-gear and located beneath the tongue and arranged independently of the same, a spring disposed on the rod, and a link extending longitudinally of the tongue and located between the same and the rod, said link being hinged at one end to the tongue and having its other end slidingly connected with the rod and engaging the front end of the spring, substantially as described.

2. A tongue-support comprising a rod designed to be located beneath a tongue, a coiled spring disposed on the rod, a link engaged by the spring and designed to be hinged to a tongue, and a catch designed to be mounted on the tongue and consisting of a leg or prop adapted to be interposed between the tongue and the link, whereby the former 4is supported in an elevated position, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a running-gear, of a rod mounted thereon and located beneath the tongue, a spring disposed on the rod, a link hinged to the tongue and slidingly connected with the rod in advance of the spring, and an automatically-operating catch consisting of a leg or prop hinged to the lower face of the tongue and arranged to engage the link, substantially as described.

fl. In a device of the class described, the combination of a running-gear, a bracket, a rod mounted on the bracket and located beneath the tongue and having a limited swing, a substantially L-shaped link hinged at its rear end to the tongue and provided at its depending arm with an opening receiving the rod, a front nut arranged on a threaded portion ot' the rod at the front end thereof, a rear nut mounted on a threaded portion of the rod at the back thereof, and a coiled spring interposed between the rear nut and the arm of the link, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a suitable support, and a tongue, of a laterally-swinging leg or prop hinged at its upper end to the tongue and disposed at an acute angle to the rear portion thereof, said leg or prop being arranged to engage the support automatically when the tongue is raised, substantially as described.

. In a device of the class described, the

4combination with a tongue, and a suitable support, of a leg or prop connected with the tongue and arranged to engage the support automatically when the tongue is raised, whereby the said tongue is supported in an elevated position, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JERRY IVEETER.

Witnesses D. R. ELLIOTT, II. P. ELLIOTT. 

